Will Elijah and Moses return to Earth as the Two Witnesses?

Will Elijah and Moses return to Earth as the Two Witnesses?

Last week in church my pastor went over Revelation 11, which describes in brief detail the event where God unleashes the Two Witnesses on the Earth during the Tribulation.

In past months I've read a number of emails and articles written by people with different beliefs on the identity of the Two Witnesses, and I think my pastor hit it on the head when he shared that he believes Moses and Elijah themselves are going to return to earth as the Two Witnesses.

The real Moses and the real Elijah.

Wow... how would that be for encouraging the spread of Christianity during the Tribulation, to be told that Moses and Elijah were on earth proclaiming the Gospel and striking the land with powerful signs from the Bible?

Please look at this passage:

Revelation 11:3-4 - And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Let's back up for a moment...

According to the Bible, when believers die, they "sleep" until the resurrection, and this appears to include the disciples and other early evangelists (Paul, Phillip, Steven, etc.).

Elijah, however, was taken to heaven before he died, which seems to say that Elijah isn't sleeping in death, until the resurrection.

2 Kings 2:11 - As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

As far as Moses goes, he disappears from the world in a different fashion.

The Bible reports that God took his life on Mount Nebo before he could enter the Promised Land (as punishment for not upholding holiness among the Israelites), but then something odd occurs -- God leaves Moses burial a mystery (leaving us to wonder what in fact happened to Moses).

Deuteronomy 34:4-6 - Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it." And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.

So, is Moses asleep in the ground, until the resurrection, like all other Christians appear to be?

Mark 9:2-4 - After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

In this event known as the Transfiguration, Jesus climbs up on a mountain, and Peter, James, and John all witness Moses and Elijah appear, who talk with Jesus.

This seems to show that both Elijah and Moses are alive in Heaven.

Now look back at Revelation 11:

Revelation 11:3-4 - I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

I have to say that when I look at these passages of Scripture, that it truly looks as though Moses and Elijah are going to come to earth during the Tribulation, and proclaim the gospel, and torment the enemies of God.

Moses and Elijah themselves are likely the "two olive trees and the two lampstands" that stand before God, as stated in Revelation 11:4.

Much in the same way that Moses tormented Pharoah with supernatural signs from God, and also in the same way that Elijah caused the skies not to drop any rain, after hearing last week's sermon in church I'm now strongly in the belief that Moses and Elijah are the actual Two Witnesses who are going to appear on earth during the Tribulation.

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So, have Moses and Elijah been all this time in the Kingdom of Heaven, watching earth's history unfold, and now here we are thousands of years later on the brink of the Milennial Kingdom coming to earth and God bringing in everlasting righteousness (Daniel 7:27)?

Will Moses and Elijah (as well as Jesus), help prepare the 144,000 for their return to earth, after the rapture has taken place, and all Hell is breaking loose?

Hi, you make a good point, but I think that it's most likely Elijah over Enoch.

I tend to think this because Elijah was used by God to bring wrath on God's enemies, where Enoch was simply removed from earth for being a righteous man in an evil, violent world (if I've understood this correctly).

Also regarding who the Two Witnesses are, please consider this passage:

Revelation 11:6 - These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Where it reads "these men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain" -- this describes one of the powers that Elijah had when he was on earth.

Where it reads "they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague" -- this describes some of the powers Moses had when he was on earth.

Put them together, and to me it seems as though Moses and Elijah are going to appear on earth as the Two Witnesses during the Tribulation.

Well...my question in thought is Elijah and Enoch are the only two that have not known death. Yes...God can ressurect anyone, but why would God have Moses live again to die again and in a horrific death? Is it that some of us still have work to do even after death? Will Enoch eventually die and live again? Or will Enoch just live?

Jesus Christ will reign with us for 1000 years after all this. Will Moses and Elijah still have the God given power? Will we/they still have work to do even during the millenium?